Andy Parsons at Crawley comedy club

Comedy Beats are back at The Grasshopper in Tilgate on Friday, October 5 for their regular monthly show.

Spokesman Mark Coxon said: “The company is three years old now and in that time we have put more shows on at this venue than any other that we work with. In July we introduced a summer saver special where tickets were priced at just £5. This has led to two of our last three shows being sell-outs. It's been such a great success that we have decided to extend it for another couple of months.

“Our aim has always been to bring the very best comedians from the comedy circuit to The Grasshopper and since then we have managed to secure Zoe Lyons, Simon Evans, Bob Mills, Lee Hurst and Robert White. I remember thinking, after the show in July, when we had Stephen K Amos on the bill, how long will it be before we manage to get a more well-known act than him to the club. Well, it's been three months and now we have Andy Parsons lined up.

“I started as a comedian myself back in 1997. Many of the acts that I cut my teeth with back then are now coming to do Comedy Beats gigs. It's helping us to build a brand that is rapidly becoming one of the strongest in the south-east.

“When you have comedians of Andy Parson's calibre doing your gigs people really start to sit up and take notice. Viewers of Mock The Week will remember him as the regular panellist who appeared in nine series of the show. Other TV credits include Live At The Apollo, They Think It's All Over as well as Question Time and Newsnight. He is a satirist who is highly respected by his peers and I am over the moon that his first show for Comedy Beats will be at The Grasshopper.

“I am equally excited that the closing act is another Comedy Beats debutant: Sean Collins. He is a Canadian storyteller whose big break in TV came when he appeared in the second series of Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow. I started doing shows with him about fifteen years ago and I immediately became a huge fan of his work.

“Canadian comedians who work in the UK are among the very best on the circuit. I never thought I would be able to book an act of his ability, but when I asked him he said yes almost immediately. It was important we found someone for this show who could follow Andy Parsons and in Sean we have done just that!

“Opening the show is the lovable John Fothergill. He arrived on the circuit in the early nineties and has become a firm favourite ever since. His Geordie charm shines through and although opening this show he is also a highly respected compere in his own right. He expertly mixes great material with strong improvisational skills and I know he is the perfect act to kick off such a high-quality show.”

“It all takes place on Friday, October 5 at The Grasshopper in Tilgate, Crawley. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm. Tickets priced at £5 in advance or £10 on the door (subject to availability) are available direct from the venue or by visitinghttp://www.comedybeats.com.”